


you were born to chase the light

by emmyeccentric



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Time Babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2013-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-05 03:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1089306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmyeccentric/pseuds/emmyeccentric
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on an anon Tumblr prompt: "They find out that River's pregnant. As in, River finds out then shares the news."</p>
            </blockquote>





	you were born to chase the light

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually terrible. I tried to fill the prompt to the best of my mediocre ability, but the plot bunny simply wouldn't remove himself from his damn den. I apologize.

_Surely not_. Of course not. Time Lords didn’t reproduce like _that_. She had read pages on pages of Gallifreyan biology in University, and not only for lecture. River felt it best to prepare herself for any health problems her interesting genetics might pose to her in the future.

But three hundred hours of study could never prepare River Song for _this_. She knew about the Looms, yes, but she also could read, and the monitor before her blinked a startling truth. “Pregnancy Scan, River Song, Human, Time Lord DNA Detected, Positive”; the words seemed to bleed together in a massive jumble, except for the one that would change everything. Positive. It seemed so full of hope, didn’t it? But River’s fear eclipsed any joy she should have been feeling in that moment.

She knew that most Time Lords were sterile, and that her husband was the last of his species. But River also knew her own body. She knew her immune system was incredibly stronger than most humans, and that dizziness, headaches, and retching every meal into the toilet were anything but normal. Her breasts were sore; her pants were just a little tighter…this wasn’t supposed to happen, but inductive reasoning proved otherwise.

Here she was…(River glanced again at the scanner) 8 weeks pregnant, in prison, and married to a man who couldn’t settle down if he tried his damnedest (but neither could she, and the adrenaline and rush of constant adventure was exactly what led to this predicament).

She knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

River sat on the console stairs, face in her hands, curls spilling over her shoulders. She began to sort through all the zooming thoughts in her brain: pregnancy in prison, baby-proofing the TARDIS; God-forbid something happening to either herself or The Doctor. It wasn’t until after hours of stoic, silent thought that River finally let herself cry; tiny stifled sobs that wouldn’t draw any attention to her slumped and defeated form on the stairs.

But when she heard light footsteps approaching behind her she knew she had failed, and the tiny stifled sobs turned into loud wracking ones.

“River! I’ve finally managed to fix the plumb- River?” She turned a sunken face to him, tears inking their way down her face.

“Hello, sweetie."

The Doctor made an instant glide to the other side of the console, and quickly dropped to his place on the stairs beside her. River turned her whole body towards her husband, letting his long limbs envelop her, while her tears left a wet spot on his button-down.

“River, you’re worrying me. You need to tell me what’s wrong, honey.” He pressed a gentle kiss to her curls. River rocked back and forth in his embrace a moment longer, refusing to leave the safety of his arms.

Eventually, she sat up, and accepted the offer of his handkerchief to wipe the stains from her cheeks. River took in all the breath she could muster, trying to clean her mind of any jitters. She looked at her Doctor, his face plastered in worry, and offered a weak smile.

“You remember how I got cross with you the other day, you wanted to go to Prince Albert’s ball-“

“I was invited…”

“Shh, darling. Let me finish; this is important. That doesn’t matter now.” She placed a tiny palm on his chest, and smiled up at his pout. “Well, I was ill, and I didn’t want to go, and you told me that Time Lords don’t get sick. I knew you were right, so I decided to get the Old Girl to run some scans.”

“So are you okay? Are you healthy?” He asked urgently.

“I’m…,” her voice began to quake and she steadied herself with a shaking breath, “pregnant.” The last word was barely a whisper.

River raised her downcast eyes to the biggest grin she never expected.

“I know.” His eyes were brighter than River had seen in ages.

“What? How could you-“

“Spoilers, River.”

“ _What_?! You let me lay there miserable for days, and you _knew_?! Oh, well I’m sorry my pregnancy, which is half your fault by the way, was an inconveni-“ He silenced the last syllable with a kiss, into which he poured all the love he could.

“What was that for?” she replied, slightly breathless.

“Because I am _so_ happy. I knew you were pregnant, spoilers, mostly, but I could see it. I can see you glowing, I can see your body changing, and I am so happy, River. This is the best gift you could have given me. A little me and a little you. I already love this child so much, because it is us, River. She could have your curls, and your eyes, and blimey, I hope not my chin, because that would just be horrid.”

“She?” River whispered in awe.

“I told you, spoilers, mostly.” He gave a smile overflowing with warmth, and placed a gentle hand on her middle. “And I promise, _everything_ will fall into place beautifully.”

She kissed him, gently, and thankfully. As she pulled away, her face was full of joy and excitement, and it was a well-deserved relief from hours of fear and of sadness.

She knew it wouldn’t be easy. But River Song also knew it would be worth it.


End file.
